Since the city’s founding more than 300 years ago, Philadelphia has been at the forefront of science and technology — 11 of the 16 routinely recommended vaccines were developed here, as was Plexiglas, the first polio vaccine and the X-ray.

The city counts among its many firsts the nation’s first zoo, first public school and first pediatric hospital.

The High School of the Future, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Science Festival, Philadelphia Tech Week and Microsoft Partners in Learning, is hosting a Regional U.S. Forum for Innovative Educators and Learners.

This event will be held on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the school’s campus in West Philadelphia, located at 4021 Parkside Ave. To register or participate in this free event, visit www.sof.philasd.org.

“As a school, we believe in the importance of bridging the technology gap for our learners to make them competitive workers, citizens and students in the higher education community,” said Kate Hayes, High School of the Future director of development and external relations. “We believe that we are arming them with an important skill set and competencies for the 21st century.”

The Regional Forum is part of a larger series of Microsoft global events recognizing innovative teachers and school leaders who creatively and effectively use technology in their curriculum to help improve the way kids learn while increasing student success.

This event is designed to promote the sharing and scaling of exceptional practices of learning that incorporate technology in the classroom, recognize and celebrate leading educators and innovative schools, and engage educators intellectually.

“I’m thrilled to see a second year for the Philadelphia Science Festival,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “This city loves science, and I look forward to seeing what this year brings.”

The regional forum will coincide with the Second Annual Philadelphia Science Festival. This year’s science festival builds on Philadelphia’s own rich history of innovation with dozens of lectures, debates, hands-on activities, special exhibits and other informal learning experiences at museums, libraries and even street corners and concert halls.

“To us, science is as American as baseball and apple pie. We tried to underscore that simple idea with all of our more than 100 programs,” said Gerri Trooskin, the festival’s director. “We developed events that explore the physics of baseball, for example, in partnership with the Phillies.”

The Philadelphia Science Festival is a citywide collaboration that will run from April 20 to 29, showcasing the impact of science and technology past, present and future.

More than 105 institutions are collaborating to produce the Festival, which is funded in part by the National Science Foundation, presented by the Dow Chemical Company and organized by the Franklin Institute. To learn more, visit PhilaScienceFestival.org.